No blood, six women die at Swedru Hospital

Six maternal deaths have been recorded at the Agona Swedru Government Hospital within two weeks, as a result of lack of blood, following a fire out break that destroyed the Blood Bank.

Mr. Michael Nkansah, Medical Laboratory Technician in charge of the Bank said due to the destruction, patients, especially pregnant women, with complicated cases could not receive blood transfusion. According to him emergency cases referred to his section, could only rely on blood donors. Mr. Nkansah said fire razed the Bank's fridge used to store blood, a dry oven, two color television sets and other electrical gadgets estimated at 10 million cedis. He appealed to the government and the public to assist the hospital to rehabilitate the Bank. When Dr Albert Bow, Senior Medical Officer in charge of the hospital was contacted, he confirmed that the blood bank fridge was gutted by fire two weeks ago. He said that he has made a request to the Central Regional Directorate of Health Services and Agona District Assembly for assistance but the hospital is yet to hear from them.

Dr Bow noted that the hospital has no ambulance to facilitate the conveyance of patients referred to hospitals in Winneba, Cape Coast or Accra. He appealed to non-governmental organizations, embassies and philanthropists to go to the aid of the hospital. Mr. Isaac Doomson, Agona Swedru District Fire Officer in a report issued after investigations said that the faulty fridge at the blood bank caused the fire. He said it took Fire Service personnel one hour to bring the fire under control.